To make maple flax: place flax seed in a Ziploc bag and place on the cutting board. Take a flat object [the bottom of a saucepan works nice] and hit the bag a couple of times until the germ separates from the shell for many of the seeds. Place shelled flax seeds in a small bowl and combine with maple syrup. Set aside

To make apple crumble cookie: preheat oven to 170F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon baking mat. Place walnuts on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, stirring once half way through. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Then, combine ground flax + water in a small bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, beat coconut oil and sugar. Add flax egg, vanilla extract, and stevia and mix well. Pour wet into dry and stir to combine before adding apple, chopped walnuts. Set aside.

Making the magic happen: preheat oven to 350F and fill a 9×9 square inch pan with 1 inch of water. Set aside. Place a dab of coconut oil in each of your jars and place them in the microwave for 30 seconds [or until oil is melted]. Remove from microwave and use fingers to oil the inside of the jar. Place 2-3 tablespoon of cookie mixture at the bottom, followed by 2 dates, then 1 tablespoon mystery butter, followed by another 2-3 tablespoon of cookie mixture. Top it all off with your maple flax and place in prepared pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until you see the cookie layer pull away from the glass. Remove from oven and take jars out of water bath. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before diving in!

They looked so good just sitting there unbaked. I managed to steal a bit of batter before I popped them in the oven.

Another one of those foil walls. This will never get old.

Next time I think I’ll use 125mL mason jars only. The larger jars were nice, but a bit too much dessert in one go.

Did I just say it was too much dessert?

Ugh… I’m getting old.

Happy birthday to me.

nom nom nom

Stay tuned later this week for my birthday goals post. Since I was little, I’ve treated my birthday as others treat the New Year. I set goals for the upcoming year, reflected on accomplishments, and thank myself for continuing on my journey.

Have you made yourself something special on one of your birthdays? If so, what was it?

When is your birthday?

Do you remember blowing out candles and wishing for something as a kid?

I had the same wish for many years, to meet the Backstreet Boys. Alas, it never happened.

Praise

I had been at a plateau in my weight loss for over a month. After watching your videos about fasting and carbing-up, I’m finally back into losing weight! Thanks for all the great tips. I enjoy learning about keto and all of its aspects.

 Heather

Just wanted to thank you for being you, Leanne! I started binge watching your channel about two weeks ago and committed to keto after listening to your stories. We have a lot of parallels and I was suffering from extreme exhaustion and adrenal fatigue. Two weeks later and I’m already feeling SO much better!

 Cassia

I have been tracking macros, but for the last couple of years my hormones felt so off, and my energy was at its lowest. I already feel amazing by following The Keto Beginning, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. Thank you for helping me feel good again.

 Chloe

Leanne was a breath of fresh air and helped me realize that perfection isn’t necessary or healthy. I finally stepped away from MyFitnessPal, my Fitbit, my Ketonix, my labs, the scale, and actually started to care about what I was missing out on in the pursuit of “optimum health” and achieving a desired thinness. I’m still working on developing relationship with my body, food, fasting, and fitness — it’s a work in progress that I truly think I can achieve thanks to Leanne’s help.

 Ryan

You. Are. AMAZING! I have been struggling for years with health issues (joint pain, fatigue, weight gain, skin issues, depression, anxiety… the list goes on). I have been gluten free for over a decade and started Paleo three years ago. I have listened to paleo podcasts for years and continued to tweak my diet, hoping for a solution to my health problems. Paleo helped a bit but I still had all of the issues, just to a lesser degree. After being diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I tried autoimmune paleo and finally came across your podcast. I immediately went “keto” and within 3 days I had ENGERY, I could THINK, I was no longer depressed! I am now 3 weeks in and couldn’t wait any longer to let you know how thankful I am for you and your work. Not only is the content life changing, but you present it in such an easily digestible way. You are open and so thorough that you literally answer all of the questions I have before I can ask them. I could say so much more… but for now. Thank you for all you do!

 Sarah

I have been subscribing to the meal plans for a few months now, and I just have to say, THANK YOU for offering this service. It is everything I ever wanted in a food plan and more. I love that I don’t have to think about my grocery list or what I am going to eat because it’s all already laid out and all I have to do is shop and cook! For me, it is just perfect.

 Ashley

After struggling with amenorrhea since 2009, I had nearly given up. Last year, I found keto and your podcast and have been on the journey of high fat, low carb, whole food, grass fed/finished meats, dairy free, NOT tracking, no more excessive cardio or hormone replacement therapy, I now take more baths, walks, early bedtimes, and listen to my body. Voila! The lovely lady friend has honored me with her presence. I couldn’t be happier!

 Tara

I am an emergency medicine physician who sees the end result of poor health every day in my busy ER. So disheartened by what I experience daily and inspired by your podcast, my husband and I started a free group for local Mainers where we share evidence-based lifestyle interventions for improving health. We love keto! This lifestyle has dramatically improved our health and I’m now pursuing a fellowship because of it! Thank you!

I found your podcast just before I decided to try Keto. I was on my way home from a weekend in Boston and was driving back to NJ (February 2017) I listed to your podcast the entire ride and not only did I learn so much about Keto but I was fully inspired. I continue to eat Keto and listen to every podcast every week; it continues to inspire and teach me. I have lost 17 pounds and truly upped my game when in comes to my work outs — keto (and Leanne) have changed my life.

 Amy Jo

My husband & I started keto 27 weeks ago & it has changed us! Down 76lbs! No more sleep apnea, knee pain, IBS & so much more. You have inspired me along the way.

 Pam

I’m loving your book! I love your approach and the fact that you do not stick to a “diet” 100%, but rather pick out what feels good for you and what works. I also like that when reading your book, I feel like I’m talking to a very good friend. I‘m just getting started with keto, but I have to say that I already love it. I feel much better than just going low-carb (which I have done for almost 6 months now). I do not have so many cravings anymore, intermittent fasting is so easy now, and my digestion has never been better.

 Sonja

Leanne was one of the first videos I ever watched when I decided I was going to go head first into keto. I remember being so impressed with your “What 6 Months Eating Keto Did to My Body” video, and you were doing it way before keto was as trendy as it is nowadays. My journey started over 2 years ago at over 515 pounds and since then I’ve lost 240 pounds and still going strong. Whenever there seem to be gaps in my knowledge I know I can always look to your videos for help. Keep up the awesome work. It means a lot to all of us.

I find your information very helpful. Recommended recipes help me stay on track and carb ups keep me happy and healthy. I found the key to a convenient, satisfying eating style and your advice has been an important part of that. Thank you.

 Lorraine

WOW! That’s all I have to say. I came across your website a couple weeks ago and I can’t get enough. As a newly graduated Holistic Nutritionist, I am now questioning what I have learned in school and how I will be treating clients. You have definitely changed my way of thinking and I am on the path of recommending Keto-Healthful Pursuit style to my new clients. Thank you for being real, true to yourself and inspiring.

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Leanne Vogel has experienced success in using her recipes and keto-based diet. It works with her lifestyle but there are no assurances or representations of any kind made by Leanne Vogel or Healthful Pursuit Inc. that you will attain any success in using the same recipes or adopting a keto-based diet. Healthful Pursuit provides information in respect to healthy living, recipes, nutrition, and diet and is intended for informational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment nor is it to be construed as such. We cannot guarantee that the information provided by Healthful Pursuit reflects the most up-to-date medical research. Information is provided without any representations or warranties of any kind. Please consult a qualified physician for medical advice, and always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your health and nutrition program.